Page 86 of Unruly
“We’ll see about that.”
Suddenly, I’m flying across the dark space and crashing into an unseen wall. Apparently, the Horror didn’t like my taunting. It didn’t hurt, but it was alarming just the same.
“I could kill you here,” the Horror says. “You’d be dead for good and I could find a new body to inhabit. I happen to like yours though, so don’t piss me off.”
Weird compliment but I’ll take it. Instead of replying, I focus all my attention on Farnsworth. I want him to know that he’s important to me. He’s… special. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so connected to a person. I know it can’t continue long term, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the time we have together before we go our separate ways.
Farnsworth tilts his head back as if listening to something. I focus on his name, chanting it in my mind, replaying our moments together. My chest expands, filling with warmth, and I swear I feel a light pulsing in the center. He must feel it too as he rubs his sternum.
“What are you doing?” the Horror demands. “Stop it.”
“Stop what? I’m literally just sitting here, bro.”
The Horror snarls at me. “You’re communicating somehow.”
I shake my head. “Nope.” An image pops into my head. It’s a page from the handbook about the astral plane, which must be where I’m at now. I’m powerful here. I can fight back, and the Horror doesn’t know I know that.
The image of Farnsworth and me fades, which is a bummer, but I have a new focus anyway. Standing, I turn to face the Horror, then launch myself at it, wrapping my hands around its throat. We tumble to the ground as I manage to choke the thing.
“Tell me your name, Horror.”
It scoffs, writhing beneath me and pulling at my wrists. “Fuck you.”
“No, thank you. Name?”
“John Henry Wolcott.”
I make a buzzer noise. “Wrong. John Henry Wolcott is dead. Very, very dead. You are an abomination of that man, and sorry to ruin your plans, but you are not staying here.”
The Horror vibrates enough that the sensation is unpleasant, making me want to let go and get far away, but that’s just a tactic to get me to back off. Instead, I double down, squeezing as hard as I can until it’s literally choking and gagging.
“If I die, I take you with me.”
Oof, that’s a sobering thought. Still, I have to fight. “Your name and I’ll stop.”
“No,” it says weakly. “I won’t go.”
“I disagree.” Farnsworth appears next to me. “And this time, you’re going for good.”
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
Farnsworth winks at me. “Don’t ease up. We’re almost there.”
“On it.”
“Hey, Horror. See that box on the table?”
The scene in my apartment appears again, both mine and Farnsworth’s bodies draped across the couch, but mine is writhing and clawing at my neck, just like the Horror is.
The Horror turns its head, focusing on the coffee table.
“Calex gave it to me,” Farnsworth continues. “It’s got something very important to you in it. Want to see?”
The Horror turns several degrees cooler beneath me, clearly reacting to what’s going on. Farnsworth leans closer to me so that only I can hear him.
“On three, I’m going to pull us back and open the portal to the Below. Keep a tight hold on the Horror. If it gets what’s in that box, we’re in big trouble.”
“Got it.”
